Bai Yu instinctively stood up and took half a step back.
"You—!"
The blue-haired woman, suddenly awakening, regained her senses.
Covering her mouth with one hand, she pointed at Bai Yu with the other, eyes filled with disbelief.
"W-Wait! Let me explain—"
The next second, a sharp scream erupted from her lips.
BANG BANG BANG—!
Startled by the scream, Koby and Helmeppo barged into the room, a squad of Marine soldiers hot on their heels.
"What's going on here?!"
Everyone froze at the sight before them—Bai Yu standing close to a disheveled blue-haired woman.
"Get out."
Bai Yu pressed a palm to his forehead, sighing helplessly as he waved everyone out with an annoyed look.
"Y-Yes, sir!"
Feeling the tension in Bai Yu's voice, the squad snapped to attention and filed out hastily, Koby and Helmeppo included.
Once the door shut, the room fell into an uneasy silence.
"You're... Marines?"
The blue-haired woman had calmed slightly. Her voice was cautious but no longer panicked.
"Indeed. Real, not fake."
Bai Yu nodded, his tone sincere.
He then briefly explained everything—from how they found her drifting at sea, to why she had awakened aboard a Marine vessel.
The woman listened in silence, then slowly nodded.
"My name is Maya."
Her voice grew resolute.
"Please, if you can… take me back to my homeland. I must stop the resurrection of the Full Moon Holy Sword."
Maya then began recounting the mysterious and tragic tale that had brought her here.
---
Maya came from the secluded island of Asuka, a place of vibrant forests and ancient traditions. For generations, her people had passed down the legend of the Seven-Star Sword—a cursed blade sealed deep within the island's shrine.
The prophecy was clear: When the Seven-Star Sword appears beneath the blood-red full moon, darkness will descend. The sword will awaken, draining all life around it to restore its full power.
To prevent this calamity, the island entrusted its safety to a sacred bloodline of shrine maidens—Miko—tasked with maintaining the seal. Maya was this generation's chosen guardian.
Everything was going according to plan. Maya had prepared the Sealed Gem, a mystical artifact that could reinforce the seal on the Seven-Star Sword.
But just a week before the full moon, fate intervened.
A Marine warship, patrolling nearby, accidentally discovered Asuka Island.
The ship's commanding officer, Captain Saga, stumbled upon the shrine... and the sealed Seven-Star Sword.
Drawn by its allure, Saga unsheathed the cursed blade. The moment he grasped it, he fell under its demonic influence.
The sword whispered promises of power—and Saga listened.
Becoming obsessed with awakening the sword's full strength, Saga ordered his men to find and capture Maya, knowing she was the only one who could interfere with the resurrection ritual.
To protect her granddaughter, Maya's grandmother—the previous Miko—stayed behind to hold off the approaching forces.
With no other option, Maya fled in a raft, carrying only the sealed gem and the hope of survival.
She drifted alone across the vast ocean… until fate placed her in Bai Yu's path.
---
Hearing the story, Bai Yu's expression grew serious.
"Maya... Miko... the Seven-Star Sword..."
The names stirred something deep in his memory.
Scenes began to flash in his mind—foggy recollections from his previous life.
Isn't this the plot from the One Piece movie, "Cursed Holy Sword"?
The story matched perfectly—except in this timeline, Maya had escaped Asuka Island before Saga's ritual began.
Suddenly, a cold mechanical voice echoed in Bai Yu's mind:
> [Ding! Main Quest Triggered – The Cursed Holy Sword!]
[Mission: Prevent the resurrection of the demon blade. Destroy the Seven-Star Sword. Defeat the host, Saga.]
[Reward: ???]
"Accepted."
Bai Yu mentally accepted the task without hesitation.
"No problem," he said aloud, facing Maya.
"I know who that Marine officer is."
"Since this threat emerged under Marine authority, it's our duty to make it right."
His confident words warmed Maya's heart.
"Thank you..." she replied softly, her tone gentler now. With deep gratitude, she stood and bowed deeply.
"No need to be so formal."
Bai Yu quickly helped her up.
"By the way, do you know the exact coordinates of Asuka Island?"
Bai Yu vaguely recalled its location from memory, but this was the Grand Line—relying solely on memory could be dangerous.
"Yes! I brought a permanent Log Pose for Asuka Island."
Maya eagerly reached into her robes and produced a small, glowing device—a recorded eternal pointer.
"Perfect. You rest for now—I'll have the ship change course immediately."
Bai Yu took the pointer, gave her a reassuring smile, and turned to leave the room.
At the doorway, he suddenly paused.
"About earlier... I didn't mean to."
Maya blinked, then blushed as the meaning registered.
She lowered her head shyly, a faint red tint coloring her cheeks.
Bai Yu, flustered, quickly stepped out and shut the door behind him.
---
"Hey! I told you not to crowd the doorway!"
Bai Yu's eyes twitched as he saw Koby, Helmeppo, and a few other Marines leaning against the hallway wall, eavesdropping.
Helmeppo, now squashed between two sailors, chuckled awkwardly.
"C-Colonel Bai Yu... we were just concerned."
"Forget it. Just get moving."
Bai Yu handed the eternal pointer to a nearby sailor.
"New orders: change our heading. Full speed to Asuka Island."
"Yes, sir!"
The sailors stiffened up and scrambled to carry out the order.
Only Koby and Helmeppo remained.
"Colonel... that woman..." Helmeppo leaned in, grinning.
Bai Yu raised an eyebrow.
"Do you want more training?"
Helmeppo jumped.
"Nope! Nope! I-I've already arranged your dinner! Sent it to her room personally!"
He saluted and bolted down the corridor, but not before flashing Bai Yu a sly wink.
"This guy..."
Bai Yu let out a soft laugh, shaking his head.
He didn't bother to explain.
Maya was undeniably one of the most beautiful women he had encountered in this world—earning her favor certainly wouldn't hurt.
---
Under Bai Yu's command, the warship changed direction.
Using the eternal pointer's guidance, they surged toward Asuka Island at full speed.
But as the full moon approached—less than a day away—darkness was already falling over the island.
What awaited them was no longer the peaceful sanctuary Maya remembered.
The Seven-Star Sword had already begun its resurrection.
The villagers had succumbed to its influence.
And worst of all… the Marines stationed there had fallen under Saga's control.
Bai Yu was heading straight into a cursed land controlled by the demon blade itself!